Home Brewing

I decided to brew my second batch of beer solo, after creating my first batch a few months ago (which turned out wonderfully) with my friend, a veteran brewer. It’s really not that difficult — it’s all about sanitization, timing, and being able to follow directions. Unfortunately, it’s the “following directions” part that led to some problems.

I went down to a local brewing shop and picked up the Brewer’s Best kit for Rye Pale Ale, and waited for a day when my wife was away for the afternoon. Preparation, steeping the grains, and boiling the wort all went smoothly. … Read the rest

Since Wegmans began stocking beer on their cafe shelves, I’ve become more and more interested in craft beers. I gave up on mass-produced corporate brews years ago for the tastier, more worthwhile beers produced by craft breweries and brewpubs.

Naturally I began to read about brewing techniques, ingredients, and philosophies, and I picked up a subscription to Beer Advocate (which I highly recommend). All this led me to investigate the mystical realm of home brewing. I’m not very adept in the kitchen, so I was intimidated by a process whose success depended so much on accurate temperatures and timing and … Read the rest